HELLO, I'M
Jaime Garcia.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Student
Jaime Garcia
B.S. in
Fitness Management and
Personal Training
​
Minor in
Wellness Coaching and Health Education
Indianapolis, Indiana
(317) 413-0309
About
MY BACKGROUND
My name is Jaime Garcia. I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. I went to Herron High School, a classical Liberal Arts school, and graduated in 2019. Being a native of Indianapolis, I decided to attend college close to home. IUPUI was the perfect choice for me because it has programs, such as Fitness Management and Personal Training, that fascinate me. I really enjoy physical activities, like running, swimming, and weight training.
Since returning to school post quarantine, I believe I have gotten new experiences that have helped me grow and have more confidence in myself. Working with other students who have similar goals has helped me create new friendships too which is also another helpful resource I use for motivation.
Personal experiences have also shaped my self-esteem. One experience that has helped shape me for the world is my personal training internship. I was able to learn what it's like to work with a client along with identifying my strengths and weaknesses. Another experience that helped shape me for the world is my trip to Camp Brosius. Although I was pushed out of my comfort level, I still learned what it is like to lead and be part of a team. Having great teachers was another wonderful experience I will not forget. I am grateful for my professors too as they have become mentors in my journey to achieve my career and personal goals.
​
​
Education
2019 - Present
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis – Indianapolis, IN; Class of 2023
Bachelor of Science; Fitness Management and Personal Training
GPA: 3.15/4.0
​
2015 - 2019
Herron High School - Indianapolis, IN; Class of 2019
GPA: 3.25/4.0
Experience and Related Events
P443 InShape Internship
Spring 2023
​
P420 Service Learning with Wellness Coaching
Spring 2023
​
P416 Fitness Management Business Project
Fall 2022
​
Camp Brosius
Summer 2022
​
P403 Service Learning with Workout Video and 5K
Spring 2022
​
P410 Service Learning in Motor Activity Clinic
Spring 2022
​
P373 Resistance Training Plan
Fall 2021
​
Volunteer at YMCA
Summer 2021
​
P212 Career Action Plan
Fall 2020
​
Volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul
Yearly 2012-2018
​
My Journey at IUPUI
Major Experiences That Shaped Me.
P443 InShape Internship
In the spring of 2023, I took a personal training internship. I was looking forward to it because I would be able to apply the practices and techniques learned from my previous classes. Overall the internship proved to be a trial-and-error experience and I am grateful I had a chance to do this as a student since there were times I made mistakes. I figured it would be better to make rookie mistakes here instead of in professional organizations or other companies. I learned how to perform fitness assessments, make and adjust exercise plans, and how to provide motivation. One specific learning experience I had was seeing my client discover their own strengths. As the trainer it was pretty amazing to see them shocked and then overcome with a newfound confidence. Another specific moment for me was the trainer-client relationship started out as nerve-racking only to end with great connection and a higher level of confidence. I remember on the first day I was very stressed out and for the first few weeks, I didn't experiment a lot with my client. But throughout the remainder of the program, our connection grew and I started feeling more confident in trying new things out.
6 Word Reflection:
Challenge | Tense | Communication | Insightful
Courage | Exciting
​
​
​
​
​
​
P420 Wellness Coaching Sessions
In the spring of 2023, I had the opportunity to take a wellness coaching class which was helpful to my minor. I was able to learn techniques that included active listening, goal setting, behavior change, and applying motivational interviewing. I also got the chance to work with a client. In the beginning, I was unsure of how the coaching sessions would go, although they all turned out great. My client made great progress. She was able to suppress all of her goals which boosted her confidence and made her feel really proud of herself. She hopes to still work with me in the future. These wellness coaching sessions have given me a chance to experiment and learn more about this profession which I am grateful for.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
P416 Fitness Management Business Project
In the fall of 2022, I took a fitness class that was focused on building and running a business. This class was significant to me because part of my major includes fitness management so I was able to gain new knowledge for my career. I learned things such as marketing, job designing, finance and budgeting, facility layout, and building programs. I hope to one day operate my own business so this class was really beneficial to me.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Camp Brosius
In the summer of 2022, I traveled to Camp Brosius in Wisconsin. The camp was based on improving leadership and teamwork development. Despite being pushed out of my comfort zone frequently, it was a good experience. I was able to take away things such as how to lead group activities and how to work as a team. Whenever it was time for me to lead an activity my personal leadership style involved listening to others and working together to bounce off ideas. I was also able to learn my top themes which will come in handy as a trainer.
My top five themes:
Context | Intellection | Connectedness
Deliberative | Learner
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
P410 Motor Clinic
In the spring of 2022, I participated in the Motor Clinic program which was focused on helping train kids with disabilities in physical activities. I had a unique experience as the kid I was supposed to train only showed up once. Still, it gave me the opportunity to interact with a variety of clients of different backgrounds. I learned how to build lesson plans and how to structure them for progression. The clinic itself taught me how to handle unexpected situations and remain calm when something did not go as planned. The kids themselves were hard workers which gave me the perspective that just because they may have disabilities does not mean they are incapable of completing daily tasks.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
P403 Service Learning and 5K
In the spring of 2022, I took Theory and Practice of Cardio Exercise. It was a significant learning experience that involved creating and performing a workout video on my own. The experience was significant for me because I was able to create my own exercise routine from start to finish using my knowledge from the previous semesters. I also gained the confidence in being able to lead workouts on my own as well as being able to outline them well. This experience has motivated me to keep making my own workout videos in the future. I also trained for a 5K which I was very familiar and comfortable with thanks to my running background.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
.jpg)
My Major
Fitness Management and Personal Training B.S.
Fitness Management and Personal Training is the study of physical activity, movement, and nutrition. A personal trainer oversees clients' weight loss, muscle building, conditioning, and overall fitness levels. A trainer creates strategies to accomplish fitness goals. After graduation, I have a couple of ideas that I plan on doing. One idea is getting certified by a professional organization, such as ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) to potentially become a personal trainer. The other idea was to become a health and wellness coach to focus on working with people's overall health.
​
I chose this area to study because our country is in a health crisis. Many people struggle with weight problems and the health issues related to them. They also struggle to build healthy habits that stay consistent with their goals. I wanted to motivate and help people lead healthier lifestyles. Whether I worked with them on their fitness goals or their personal health, my goal is to keep people happy and confident in their own selves.
My Career Goals
Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach
Once I graduate from college, I hope to jump right into the fitness industry. I want to work in a health-related environment. As a trainer or a health coach, I will assist clients with their health goals whether it be exercise goals or behavior goals. I want to motivate people to become more confident and healthier. I enjoy being physically active as it helps me become more confident in myself and I want to share that passion with others.
​
​
Final Reflection and Thoughts
My experience at IUPUI has been one that I will never forget. I remember coming into my first day at IUPUI, back in 2019, and having no idea what I wanted to do. I believe I was so focused on getting into a college that I didn't consider a career that would interest me. I'll even say I got lost by the end of freshman year in what I wanted to be. Quarantine was a gift because it gave me time to think and reflect on what I would enjoy as a career. When we returned to school, I had a better sense of my identity and what would be right for me. I am grateful I had amazing professors who helped guide me through all my classes even when things got hard. By the time I got to the InShape Internship, I was really nervous but then I realized there was nothing new here and it was just everything from my previous classes coming together. Seeing it all come full circle was remarkable and it hit me how much I have accomplished here at IUPUI.
​
​
